Man Utd vs West Ham: Preview

Manchester United open their Premier League season against West Ham on Sunday afternoon. The two sides have made some strong signings this summer and will be raring to go in the opening weekend’s final fixture.

Man Utd have spent big on bringing in Romelu Lukaku, Victor Lindelof and Nemanja Matic. Jose Mourinho knew he had to strengthen the squad after last year’s fifth-placed finish. The Red Devils did qualify for the Champions League as a result of their Europa League win.

But the aim will be the mount a serious title challenge this season. Mourinho has assembled a strong squad and knows his side need to get off to a winning start here.

United fell 2-1 to Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup on Tuesday night. They put in a strong display, despite losing, and will be looking to hit the ground running against the Hammers on Sunday.

West Ham’s main summer signing will be a familiar face to the Old Trafford crowd. Former United striker Javier Hernandez has joined the Hammers for around £16m, in what is surely going to be one of the best deals of the window.

Slaven Bilic has also brought in Pablo Zabaleta, Joe Hart, Marko Arnautovic and Sead Haksabanovic. West Ham will surely improve on last season’s 11th-placed finish.

The Hammers couldn’t have been handed a much tougher opening game. West Ham will have to wait a month until their first home game of the campaign, with away trips to Southampton and Newcastle to come following Sunday’s game at Old Trafford. That’s due to the ongoing athletics World Championships currently taking place at the London Stadium.

These two sides met three times last season. The pair drew 1-1 in the Premier League at Old Trafford, before United won 4-1 in the League Cup three days later. The Red Devils then beat the Hammers 2-0 at London Stadium in January.

Man Utd vs West Ham: Team News

Manchester United have no new injury concerns heading into the new season. Jose Mourinho is expected to give debuts to Nemanja Matic and Romelu Lukaku. Though Victor Lindelof might have to start on the bench, with Eric Bailly and Phil Jones available again after being suspended for Tuesday’s UEFA Super Cup game. Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw and Ashley Young are injured.

West Ham could welcome back Aaron Cresswell and Manuel Lanzini after recent injuries. But Slaven Bilic will be without Sofiane Feghouli, Cheikhou Kouyate, Diafra Sakho, Andy Carroll and Michail Antonio. Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez are expected to make their league debuts for the visitors.

Man Utd vs West Ham: Key Points

Man Utd’s preseason form: W/L/W/W/L

West Ham’s preseason form: W/L/D/D/L

Key Stat: Manchester United are unbeaten in their last nine home Premier League games against West Ham. Their last league defeat to the Hammers at Old Trafford came on the final day of the 2006/07 season.

Key Player: Romelu Lukaku – Manchester United’s big summer signing loves playing against West Ham. The powerful striker has scored in nine of his last ten games against the Hammers in all competitions.

Man Utd vs West Ham: Prediction

Manchester United 2-1 West Ham – United struggled for goals against teams like West Ham throughout last season. However, the signing of Lukaku is meant to fix those problems. Things are unlikely to be perfect for either side in the opener, but the hosts look primed to get off to a winning start. West Ham are a stronger side than they were last term. But the hosts have spent big. Expectations are high and they need to prove they can kick on, starting on Sunday.

Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez is on his way out of Old Trafford this summer, and after failing to earn a permanent switch to Real Madrid following his loan spell this season, he will need to find a new challenge.

His agent, Eduardo Hernandez, has told Univision Deportes that the Mexican striker will not be playing for Manchester United next term and did little to quash rumours of a move to the United States, admitting that his representatives are “open to MLS”.

Clubs across Europe are also keen on Hernandez as the 27-year-old poacher is in high demand. He has one year left on his United contract and will therefore cost a transfer fee.

That could be a stumbling block for any MLS side interested, with Orlando City the club most strongly linked with the former Chivas Guadalajara attacker.

He would almost certainly demand a Designated Player contract were he to move to MLS and his agents comments have left the window open.

The Univision report claims United would be willing to lower their asking price for Hernandez to help any move go through but if European sides are unwilling to take the risk, a move stateside will surely ensue.

This looks set to be an on-off transfer rumour but the longer it goes without Hernandez finding a club, the higher the chances of a move to MLS.

MLS RUMOURS

Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez, 26, is set to leave the club this summer after returning from his loan spell with Real Madrid. His agent confirmed they have a whole host of tempting offers on the table, one of which includes a Major League Soccer club in the USA, likely to be Orlando City. (REPORT)

Portland Timbers head coach Caleb Porter has confirmed that his MLS club are interested in Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, 37, and Juventus midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo, 36. Both have been linked with moves to MLS this week and the Timbers boss has done little to quell the rumours. (REPORT)

New York City FC are looking to bolster their defence with the addition of U.S. International defender Oguchi Onyewu, 33, on a free transfer. He’s just left Championship side Charlton Athletic after making just three league appearances, and is now looking for his fifth club in three years. (REPORT)

PREMIER LEAGUE RUMOURS

Tottenham are reportedly lining up a £12m offer for Burnley striker Danny Ings, 22. Ings is out of contract in June but Spurs are keen to seal the deal and beat their rivals to his signature. Liverpool have also been linked with a move for the Englishman in the past. (REPORT)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed that he likes Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal, 28, after the Chilean was linked with a move to the Gunners this week. (REPORT)

Stoke City defender Robert Huth, 30, is looking to join Leicester City on a permanent basis in a deal worth £3m. The German defender joined on-loan in January and has made 14 appearances. (REPORT)

DONE DEALS

Newly promoted Bournemouth have confirmed the signing of Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici, 30, on a free transfer. The Cherries signed him on a three-year deal after his contract expired at the end of the season. He joins fellow ‘keeper Artur Boruc, 35, to the club who signed a permanent deal following his loan move. (REPORT)

Stoke City have signed goalkeeper Jakob Haugaard, 23, from Danish club FC Midtjylland for an undisclosed fee. (REPORT)

Graham Dorrans, 28, has signed a two-year deal with Norwich City. He joined the Canaries on-loan in February 2015 and has now made the deal permanent. (REPORT)

Van Gaal expects more big names to arrive at Old Trafford in the coming months with the Red Devils on the verge of securing a place in next season’s Champions League after six straight Premier League wins.

PSG striker, Cavani has been linked with a switch to United for some time now and this summer could be the perfect time to swoop, with attacking reinforcements one of Van Gaal’s priorities.

Radamel Falcao’s loan move is not set to be made permanent, while Robin Van Persie is set to leave and could be one of four players offered as bait in United’s transfer moves.

The Dutch forward is deemed as surplus to requirements and could be offered to clubs along with fellow striker Javier Hernandez, right-back Rafael and winger Nani.

Cavani has had to play second fiddle to Zlatan Ibrahimovic at PSG since joining from Napoli in 2013 in a deal worth around £50 million, and could be tempted with a move to the Premier League with United.

His PSG teammate Thiago Silva is also being targeted by United as the 30-year-old Brazil international could follow Cavani to Old Trafford in a huge double move.

Hernandez is currently on loan with Real Madrid but it’s no secret that his stay in the Spanish capital hasn’t been the success he would of hoped for, with only three goals in La Liga this season.

With one year left on his current contract at United once his loan expires, and the array of attacking options at Man United, Hernandez looks set to leave Old Trafford. Madrid have the option to buy but that is unlikely given his lack of involvement this campaign.

It’s been reported that Orlando officials have been in contact with the Mexico international with regards to a move in the summer, and with a huge Latin American following for the Lions, he could be a major signing.

With one Designated Player slot still available, a move is certainly possible. Orlando already have Brazilian superstar Kaka on their books, and he could be the man to lure the 26-year-old Mexican to trade Europe for MLS this summer.

High competition for places at Madrid have left Hernandez feeling frustrated on the bench this season and a move to Orlando would guarantee him regular first team football in an attacking side, coached by Adrian Heath.

Javier Hernandez does have offers in England with the likes of Southampton, Stoke and Everton all looking to sign the 72-time capped Mexico striker.

Southampton‘s move for the player could depend on the availability of their right-back Nathaniel Clyne, who is a target for Man United, and Hernandez has been linked as part of a swap deal for the England defender.

Manchester United are reportedly ready to let Hernandez leave for £8 million this summer – a large amount for Orlando to pay as a transfer fee.

The best situation for the Lions would be Hernandez staying at United for one more season, seeing out his contract, as they could then approach him as a free agent in 12 months time.

Should Javier Hernandez leave Europe to join Orlando City in MLS? Would he be a good signing for Orlando?

The Red Devils are looking to bring in a new right-back this summer as Rafael will have just one year to run on his contract at the end of the season, and Clyne has been extensively scouted by United over the course of the campaign.

Southampton are interested in signing Hernandez and his involvement in any deal could be key, though Real Madrid currently have first refusal on the Mexican striker who is on loan with Los Blancos.

United would reportedly be willing to offer Southampton £15 million plus Hernandez for Clyne as they look to raid the Saints for their star full-back for the second consecutive year.

Luke Shaw joined United for around £30 million last summer and Louis Van Gaal wants to reunite Clyne with the young left-back at Old Trafford.

Dani Alves is also believed to be a target, as was FC Porto right-back Danilo before he agreed to join Real Madrid.

But Clyne has proven to be one of the Premier League‘s most energetic defenders this year, and that excites Van Gaal, who could use him in a 3-5-2 system or a more traditional setup with four at the back.

The 23 year old has made 28 starts under Ronald Koeman this season and has just over a year remaining on his current deal.

Southampton have enjoyed a fine season and currently sit just six points behind fourth-placed Manchester United with eight games to play. But their success could lead to a number of first-team stars leaving the club as was the case last summer.

Would Nathaniel Clyne be a good signing for Manchester United? Would a swap deal for Hernandez benefit Southampton?

The Daily Mirror are reporting that Southampton are interested in bringing Hernandez in to bolster their current frontline, which boasts the likes of Saido Mane, Shane Long, and Graziano Pelle.

The Saints are said to be in tough competition to sign the 26-year-old forward from Premier League rivals Manchester United though, with the likes of Stoke, Wolfsburg and both Inter and AC Milan reported to be interested.

Hernandez has the potential to score bags of goals given the chance of a lengthy run in the side. His Premier League experience makes him ideal for any top flight club chasing him.

He is set to return to United at the end of the season as Madrid are highly unlikely to make the move permanent, but he will have next to no opportunities under Louis Van Gaal as he has a formidable strikeforce at his disposal already, and he was quick to loan out ‘Chicharito’ in the summer.

And Major League Soccer is believed to have made a very ambitious approach to sign the 26-year-old in the past few weeks.

Hernandez has been approached by MLS before and a second attempt shows the league is clearly keen to add the Mexican star to it’s growing list of globally recognised names.

A move in the future is certainly on the cards but at 26, the former C.D. Guadalajara man feels he still belongs in Europe, for now at least.

He was a reported target for LA Galaxy and was seen as an ideal Landon Donovan replacement, but his refusal to move stateside saw the MLS Cup champions make a move for Steven Gerrard as their third designated player instead.

Chicago Fire were also reportedly keen but they have bolstered their attack by adding two international strikers as DP’s in Kennedy Igboananike and David Accam.

Hernandez will hope to find himself a club where he can play regularly next season (something he would certainly get in MLS) but interest from the United States will be something the United striker can consider again in the future.

Would MLS be a good move for Javier Hernandez, or should he stay in Europe for now?